ADSL Router/modem/switch
- — 07 March, 2005 07:16
All-in-one ADSL modems are perfect for distributing an ADSL Internet connection to more than one PC in the home or office due to their convenience and ease of installation. The $199 Dynalink RTA-770 in particular is a very easy to use all-in-one unit. It has a built-in four-port 10/100 Ethernet switch that allows up to four computers to be networked.
Its DHCP server allows IP addresses to be assigned automatically to any attached PCs and its network address translation feature keeps your local network private, while still allowing Internet access. A firewall is built into the unit and it can provide inbound and outbound port filtering for specified IP addresses. Virtual servers can also be set for such uses as online gaming and peer-to-peer file sharing.
Setting up this modem was simple and automated. The only information required to connect to the Internet was my username and password via the Quick Start feature. The unit's HTML interface is easy to navigate and does not overwhelm you with features. Instead, advanced features are located in collapsible menus.
The modem also supports advanced tasks such as virtual private networking (VPN), which will allow you to access a private network through the Internet.
We used the unit 24-hours per day for over a week and experienced no problems at all.
The RTA-770 also comes in a single aerial wireless version - the $279 RTA-770W - which allows you to connect 802.11b and 802.11g devices for tidy wireless connectivity. This unit supports 128-bit WEP encryption and WPA for security and like the RTA-770 is very easy to use.
Dynalink RTA-770
Price: $199 Distributor: Askey Australia Phone: 1800 653 962 URL: www.dynalink.com.au
